Despite the cinematic revolution that has taken the world by storm through Nollywood, which has provided Africans with the remarkable opportunity to watch movies produced by their own people on an unprecedented scale, a new potential is rising in the African film and TV arena, and it goes by the name Urize. This innovative platform is set to revolutionize the way African creators bring their stories to life, access financing, secure distribution, and utilize AI technology.
While Nollywood has significantly contributed to dispelling mistrust and suspicion by focusing on shared customs, practices, and cultures across the continent, fostering a sense of unity and common identity, Urize aims to further transform the industry and elevate African cinema to new heights.
Esther Akpovi, CEO of Urize, highlighted the platform’s origin and mission. “Urize was born out of my firsthand experience working on a $100M Hollywood financing deal, where I encountered the complexities of connecting talent, financiers, and distributors in the media industry. Recognizing the challenges faced by filmmakers, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds in Africa, I saw the need for a platform that streamlines the process of buying and selling media IP,” she said.
Urize empowers filmmakers across Africa by allowing them to create individual accounts and access features that can elevate their projects. One of the platform’s standout features is the ability for filmmakers to submit their film pilots for financing, distribution, and other opportunities, including an AI-driven Content-Based Filtering system. For instance, if a filmmaker specializing in science fiction is looking for an investor with a history of supporting sci-fi projects, Urize’s algorithm can facilitate this match based on shared genre preferences.
Beyond connecting creators with financing and distribution, Urize boasts a vast library of premium finished content. This includes films, series, TV specials, web series, short-form content, eSports, and immersive experiences in AR/VR. This diverse content is ready for broadcast or streaming, offering a wide range of stories to captivate audiences worldwide.
Urize’s ambitions are not confined to Africa. The platform’s international catalog reflects the Afro-diasporic influence, featuring tens of thousands of titles across 30 genres, 75 languages, and 54 countries. This showcases the global appeal of African storytelling, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries.